Only Companion

A compilation of Japanese tanka-—a traditional five line verse form translated by Sam Hamill and published by Shambhala Press. One of my favorite collections of poetry.

In the preface, Hamill notes …

”I began translating the poems, often with the aid and inspiration of friends. There began to emerge two basic interlocking themes: the poem of romantic love and the poem of spiritual longing. Poems of changing seasons and passing years underscore a profound sense of temporality, while erotic poems and Zen poems, each in their own way, seek a state of transcendent grace.”

An excerpt:

Once my bitterness
has found its way into words,
it dissipates,
running deep into my heart,
anger replaced by sadness.